Recently, smart phones are being developed and having equipment capable of performing functions such as the Internet communication, data search, and the like that are conventionally carried out by a computer. Therefore, internal memory capacity is undersized and, consequently, a socket is provided to separately mount a memory card in the mobile phone to increase the memory capacity.
To make the mobile phone light, thin, short, and small, a micro secure digital (SD) card having a large memory capacity for size is generally used as the memory card.
In addition, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, that is an integrated circuit (IC) card implementing a SIM, is conventionally installed in most types of mobile phones. Since the SIM card stores subscriber information, use of another terminal is enabled simply by inserting the SIM card. Also, using the SIM card, electronic commerce may be conveniently performed without dedicated authentication.
Accordingly, a socket is necessary in a mobile phone to mount the SD card and the SIM card.
An example of a known socket for mounting a memory card in a mobile phone is disclosed in KR Patent Laid-open No. 10-2008-0106727, and shown in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, the known socket includes a socket body 110 includes a socket body 110 having a card receiving passageway 113 for a SIM card formed therein, a SIM card terminal 114, a SD card terminal 111, a separation board 120, and a card housing 130.
The socket body 110 is made of an insulating material. The SIM card terminal 114 and the SD card terminal 111 are separately disposed along the socket body in up and down direction. The separation board 120 is made of metal and is positioned along an upper portion of the socket body 110 to separate an SD card and the SIM card. The card housing 130 is made of metal to surround an assembly of the socket body 110 and the separation board 120.
The socket for mounting a memory card is configured in such a manner that the SIM card is inserted along a lower portion with respect to the separation board 120, thereby achieving electrical connection between a contact point of the SIM card and the SIM card terminal 114 formed along the socket body 110. In addition, the SD card is inserted from an upper portion, thereby achieving electrical connection between a contact point of the SD card and the SD card terminal 111 formed at the socket body 110.
In the foregoing socket for mounting a memory card, when the SD card is introduced, an upper portion of the SD card, in particular, a position forming a contact with the SD card terminal 114 is opened. Therefore, a card housing 130 to confine the upper portion of the SD card is required to maintain contact between the SD card terminal and the SD card elastically supported upward by the SD card terminal.
However, when the card housing 130 is mounted, a number of parts and a number of processes during assembly are increased. Furthermore, since an entire size is increased, space utilization of an inside of the mobile phone may be reduced.
Furthermore, since the card housing 130 is made of metal, an ambient current may flow into the socket and even damage the card.
In addition, although the SD card and the SIM card are positioned separate from each other, using the separation board 120, insertion and separation of the SD card and the SIM card is performed parallel in upward and downward directions, which causes interference with each other. Therefore, when one of the SD card and the SIM card is taken out, the other may also be separated.
Furthermore, since the SD card and the SIM card are positioned on top of each other, it is difficult to simultaneously remove the SD card and the SIM card along on side surface side of a thin mobile phone.